(Photo LK)
Above is the Kinsella Cabin at Pleasant Ridge Park in Fairview Heights Il. Larry's great grandfather built this cabin sometime between 1860 and 1880. It was restored by the city of Fairview Heights during the bicentennial year of 1976. It originally had a central fireplace accessible from both sides on both floors. It was constructed of white oak and walnut logs. Larry lived in this cabin, which had an L-shaped addition, with his family until his dad built a modern brick home next door in 1960. The cabin and the surrounding 95 acres were sold to Fairview Heights in the '70s. Larry saved a lot and built his home there in 1976. He still roams the hills of the old home place looking for morels and snapping an occasional picture.
(Next 10 Photos by Prosper Kinsella) Here's the Kinsella farm with
associated buildings .
The cabin (with rear addition and covered with siding)
circa 1945.
The outhouse is in the foreground. There are 2 workshops. The red one was the
tool shed and the one on the far left was believed to have been the harness
shop, at one time. The large striped building in the background was the cow barn
and there's a smaller shed to the right that was the chicken house.
.
The cabin in 1945 with Cy Kinsella home on leave and
Emily Kinsella (his mother) sitting in the front yard. The smoke house is to the left.
Jim Kinsella on the old International "H" headed out to
cultivate corn. The tractor garage is in the background and the well is to the
right.
Dolly and Queeny, with a third horse, and the cabin in
the background. This was Cy's favorite team.
The horse lot, with a corner of the horse barn, in the
upper left.
Lawrence Kinsella circa 1945.
The rest of the Lawrence Kinsella family (mid '60's??).
(back row) Cyril, Thomas, Joseph, and Prosper.
(front row) Estelle, Emily (Lawrence's wife), Luitgartis, and Mary.
The William Kinsella farm located across the Little
Canteen Creek Valley. It was the Alfred Kinsella farm later and is now one of
the greens, on the site of the Stonewolf Golf Course, in Fairview Heights. Note,
the well in the foreground and the tool shed/garage to the left. The barns and
hog lots were about 100 yards behind the house.
The old Devil's Hole mine was located on this property, next to the B + O
tracks.
(Photo LK)
In 1976, Joe Kinsella and Sons won the contract to restore the Kinsella Log Cabin at Pleasant Ridge Park in Fairview Heights, Illinois. Larry was a carpenter working for Joe and and worked on the project. He took dozens of pictures of the cabin's reconstruction. This picture shows the cabin with the addition (left rear) removed. The clapboard siding is still in place and work has started on the roof replacement.
(Photo LK)
This picture shows the exterior after the siding had been removed and the roof had been completed. Most of the chinking had been removed at this point and the building had to be braced from the inside to keep it from swaying.
(Photo LK)
This is what the chinking looked like in the corners. The chinking was made by first, wedging chunks of wood between the logs then, applying mud and straw over the chinking.
(Photo LK)
This is the cabin after the chinking was removed and replaced with modern plaster.
(Photo LK)
Here's what the chinking looked like between the floor joists, inside.
(Photo LK)
This is the memorial plaque on the cabin.
(Photo LK)
The Kinsella Cabin in the fall.
(Photos LK)
The Rita Kinsella Memorial Garden at Pleasant Ridge. Rita was a judge for the National Iris Society for many years and the garden contains many different varieties of Iris.
(Photos LK)
The Rita Kinsella iris, 2007. (above) This dwarf iris was named after Rita.